Mary p



(Ho-Model.) V I M, P. O. HOOPER.

DARNINGEOLDBR.

Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

%ZZ Y i N jzveni orr I MIQQJW UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

MARY I. C. HOOPER, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

DARNlNG-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,751, dated March24, 1896. Application filed 2,1893. Serial No. 472,801. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY P. CARPENTER HOOPER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, county of New York, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Darning-Holders,fully described and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of implements ordevices used for holding fabrics or materials to be darned or mended orotherwise worked upon.

The invention aims especially to provide an improved construction ofsuch work-holders, whereby the fabric or material may be convenientlystretched tightly between opposed series of attaching pins or points andmay be conveniently released or detached therefrom without injury afterthe work is finished; and the invention consists in variousconstructions and combinations of parts, as hereinafter specificallypointed out in the claims.

A full description of the invention will now be given in connection withthe accompanyin g drawings, illustrating preferred constructionsembodying the various features of the invention, in which- Figure l is aside elevation of adevice embodying the invention in a preferred form.Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modification.Fig. i is a plan view showing the fabric to be darned in position. Fi g.5 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. i. Fig. 6 is a section online 6 of Fig. 3.

The principal elements of this holder, in a simple form, are a head IIcarrying a series of oppositely-arranged holding pins or points 9 3,which head is formed in two parts 4 and 5 hinged together and each ofwhich carries one of the series of pins or points 2 The pins or pointsof each series are set suitable distances apart to provide for a properspacin g of what may be called warp-threads in the preferred mode ofusing this improvement, (see Fig. i and the two series of pins or pointsare placed a suitable distance apart and are projected in oppositedirections to a greater or less degree, so as to enable the fabric to bereadily entered upon them and to be held securely in place on theholder. Bearings or supports are preferably provided between the pins orpoints, raised high enough above the surface of the holder to cause thework or fabric to be stretched in a plane above the surface of theholder to provide aneedlespace below the fabric. Such supports are shownat 8 in Fig. 6.

The head H is preferably formed of two equal parts, as shown in Fig. 1,and is preferably provided with a handle A formed of two parts, one ofwhich is secured to each of the parts of the head, these parts beingarranged so that when the two parts of the handle are brought togetherthe head will be straightened, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

By drawing the parts of the handle apart the.

head will be flexed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thedistance between the two series of attaching pins or points will therebybe lessened.

The parts of the head maybe held in their normal straightened positionunder yielding pressure, as by means of a spring 6, as shown in Fig. 3,the head being shown in this figure as divided into two unequal portionsand with a solid handle A. The preferred construction shown in Fig. 1may also be provided with a spring, as shown in said figure, for holdingthe head in its normal straightened position, but this will generally befound not to be necessary when the device is provided with a two-parthandle.

The two series of pins or points may be formed with and secured to thehead in any suitable manner. In the preferred construction shown in thedrawings each part of the head is provided with a metal plate h on itsupper surface, the meeting edges of which plate form a hinge for the twoparts of the head, and the edges opposite the hinged edges being formedwith teeth and bent up to the proper angle. The head is thus providedwith ahard smooth surface, in which the point of a needle will notcatch, and the use of such a plate or plates having teeth formed intheir bent-up edges forms a feature of the invention.

The article to be darned, as a portion of a garment or other articlerequiring repairing on account of wear or some injury to its surface, orfabric to be worked upon, as a piece of material to be ornamented byembroidering, is stretched on the head II with the damaged part orportion between the series of pins or points. \Vith the preferredconstruction shown in Fig. 1 the fabric maybe entered on the pins whilethe head is flexed, and then by drawing the parts of the handle togetherthe fabric will be stretched tight between the series of pins andsecurely held for the pcrformance of work upon it. lVhen the fabric isthus stretched over these holding-pins, it will be understood that whathas been called a warp-thread may be alternately wound across the fabricfrom one set of holding points to the other set of holding-points, as isshown in Fig. 4, so as to present a set of parallel warps that are to beunited together and to the fabric beneath them by means of needle-work,which intertwined therewith and stitched to the fabric will form anewly-woven fabric superposed upon that which is thus embroidered forrepair, and thus united thereto will have a substantial union therewith.

Vhile winding the warp-thread from point to point it may be alternatelypassed above and below a lay B, which is here shown as a medium-sizedwire, preferably having one end turned to embrace and slide upon oneedge of the head H, or this lay may be inserted so as to form a shedafter the warpthread has been attached. Thus arranged, the embroideringor darning thread, which may be called the weft, will, after beingfastened to the fabric, be passed over a warpthread, then into thefabric, then over the next warp-thread, &c., and after one row ofstitches has thus been taken the needle may be passed through the shedheld open by the lay, and the work may thus rapidly proceed. After eachweft-thread is introduced the lay B may be moved and pressed or forcedagainst the same to beat up or consolidate the work.

The lay 13 serves to hold the warp-threads separated, so that the needlecarrying the weft-thread may be readily passed through the shed thusformed between the two sets of warp-threads, and in passing the needlethrough the warp-threads in the opposite direction the lay B, byseparating the alternate warp-threads, aids in distinguishing the twosets of warp-threads, thus enabling the needle to be more readily passedover and under the proper alternate threads.

lVhen the work is finished the ends of the warp-threads will be securedto the fabric as in the begining of the work, and the darned orembroidered fabric may then be removed from the holder by flexing thehead, as with the construction shown in Fig. 1, by separating the partsof the handle, thus raising and bringing the pins or points nearertogether, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and allowing the fabric tobe readily removed.

As shown and as thus far described, the opposed series of holding-pointsare arranged in parallel lines. This is a convenient structure; but thesaid points may be arranged in curved lines of relation if desired.

A pendent handle, as A, is desirable but not essential, since, if thehead is made su ostantial enough, it may form in itself a sulficicntholder.

The lay B may be a simple wire or piece of any suitable material andhave or not such a connection with the head as to enable it to be guidedas it is moved over the same.

hat is claimed is 1. A work-holder consisting of a head formed of twoparts hinged together, a handle formed of two parts one of which issecured to each of the parts of the head, and two op posed series ofattaching pins or points one of which is carried by each of the parts orthe head, substantially as described.

2. A workholder consisting of a head formed of two parts hingedtogether, two opposed series of attaching pins or points one of which iscarried by each of the parts of the head, and a handle for thework-holder whereby the hinged head may be flexed, substantially asdescribed.

3. A workholder consisting of a head formed of two parts hinged togetherand held in normal position under yielding pressure. and two opposedseries of attaching pins or points one of which is carried by each ofthe parts of the head, the pins or points of which series extend upwardfrom the upper surface of the head when the head is in its normalstraightened position, and which series are moved toward each other whenthe head is flexed, substantially as described.

4:. A work-holder consisting of a head formed of two parts hingedtogether, and two opposed series of attachingpins or points one of whichis carried by each of the parts of the head, the pins or points of whichseries ere tend upward from the upper surface of the head when the headis in its normal straightened position, and which series are movedtoward each other when the head is flexed. substantially as described.

5. A .workholder consisting of a head formed of two parts hingedtogether and held in normal position under yielding pressure. twoopposed series of attaching pins or points one of which is carried byeach of the parts of the head, and a handle for the work-holder wherebythe hinged head may be flexed, su ostantially as described.

6. A workholder consisting of a head formed of two parts each of whichcarries a metal plate, which plates are hinged together and each ofwhich has upon its edge opposite the hinged edge a series of attachingpins or points arranged to impale and project above the fabric,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MARY P. C. IIOOPER.

Vitnesses:

T. F. KEHOE, G. M. BoRsr.

CID

